


Luck and Protection

by Skylar102



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Alec Lightwood, BAMF Magnus Bane, Demons, Dragons, Fluff and Angst, Good Parabatai Jace Wayland, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic, Magnus Bane's Omamori Charm, Temporary Character Death, eventual omamori charm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:20:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22979776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skylar102/pseuds/Skylar102
Summary: In the thick of battle Alec is too late to save Magnus, luckily something else has his husband’s back
Relationships: Alec Lightwood & Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 28
Kudos: 340
Collections: Favorite Malec Stories





	Luck and Protection

**Author's Note:**

> Well this came out of nowhere and is way longer than I thought it would be. This was probably the most fun I had writing a fic. I apparently enjoy writing battle scenes.
> 
> Shout out to ByTheAngell for the 'eventual omamori charm' tag because it made me laugh out loud
> 
> Also I heard your cries on my previous fic and I am in the works of writing a sequel to Hold On I Still Need You but I want to do it right so it's going to be a sec before its released

It was another rough day for the shadowhunters of the New York Institute. What started off as a calm day suddenly turned into chaos as the biggest demonic rift Alec has ever witnessed opens up on a beach right along the eastern shoreline of Manhattan. Red dots fill the digital map in front of him as he calls out for shadowhunters not already on duty to gear up and get ready to set out. 

Izzy and Jace are to his left and right giving out orders while he’s sending out a message to Lorenzo for him to gather any warlock’s available and willing to help close the rift. With the size that it was expanding to, it was going to take more than one warlock to close it back up. In a matter of minutes a portal was opening the ops center and three warlocks step through: Lorenzo, Circe, and Magnus. 

Of course his husband wouldn’t sit on the sidelines while he went out to fight whatever demons were coming out of the rift. Lorenzo approaches him with a handshake, “Señor Lightwood-Bane, pleasure as always though I wish under better circumstances. So what are we looking at?”  
  
“Probably the biggest rift in recorded history.” Alec gestures to the map and zooms in on the giant hole. “We barely had a warning before the alarms started blaring and the rift opened up. From our scans, it’s already twenty feet wide and it's only been 10 minutes.” With another swipe of his hand on the table, the map shows the surrounding area and a small cluster of blue dots. 

“I have already sent Underhill out with two teams to get the area under control and stop any demons from going any further. Malachi configuration has been upgraded to cover a wider area to contain demons.” As if on cue, a large blue square about 200 feet wide begins to appear around the rift. “The faster we can close the rift the fewer casualties there will be.” At the mention of Andrew’s name, Lorenzo’s posture straightens even more. The thought of his not official yet boyfriend already in the thick of it puts him on high alert.  
  
“I figure,” he continues gesturing at the map, “you, Circe, and Magnus can post up at these edges of the rift and start to close it. Izzy, Jace and Clary will each be posted with you to cover your backs. I’m going to be off to the edges with others stopping any demons from getting past our zoned off area.” Looking up he sees that everyone is nodding in agreement with the plan.

“Izzy you’re with Lorenzo, Clary with Circe, Jace with Magnus. Anyone who hasn’t been given a role, talk to me or Underhill upon stepping down on the shoreline.” With one last look at everyone he nods his head. “Let’s do this.” 

With the wave of his hand, Magnus opens a portal and all the shadowhunters begin to step through, ready for battle. As shadowhunters are stepping through Magnus waltzes up to his husband with a sparkle in his eyes.  
  
“Have I mentioned before how much I love your Shadowhunter Mode, Alexander?” His husband flutters his eyes at him. “It’s very invigorating to watch. Gives me many ideas of what I want you to do when we’re back to the loft.” Alec snorts at his husband’s words.  
  
“Maybe now is not the best time to discuss this Magnus,” he quirks an eyebrow at him. He presses a hand on Magnus’ lower back and begins to usher him towards the portal as the last of the group steps through. “There is a giant rift that needs to be closing.”  
  
“I think this is the best time to discuss it,” Magnus pouts at him but allows Alec to usher him. They’re at the edge of the portal before he stops to turn to him. “I so rarely get to see you in command and it’s as thrilling as the first time I witnessed it.”

At the appearance of the pout, Alec closes the space between him and Magnus giving his husband a heated but short kiss. “To hold you over until we get home.”

“You do know how to make a good promise,” Magnus hums as wipes a thumb underneath his lower lip, smirking as Alec’s eyes follow the movements.  
  
“Hey lovebirds, this rift isn’t going to close itself!” Jace pops back through the portal giving them a knowing look before stepping back through. Alec and Magnus share a look that definitely says they will continue this later before stepping through the portal themselves.

As the magic swirls around them, they’re suddenly thrown into a battle zone. Demons are spread across the ground and in the sky attacking the nearest shadowhunters in their vision. The Malachi configuration seems to be holding up as they witness demons trying to fly through it only to be disintegrated by the wall.  
  
“Remind me to tell dear Isabelle that she is an incredible blacksmith and her craftsmanship is beyond compare,” Magnus states as he gazes in wonder at the wall of light that surrounds them.  
  
“I’m sure she already knows,” Jace snorts as he stands next to him. “Izzy worked day in and day out to get the range as wide as it could possibly go. Lucky for us, rifts are not usually this size so it’s not normal it gets used to its full extent.

“Izzy already knows how great she is, but I’m sure it wouldn’t help to give her another boost,” Jace smiles at where he can see her defending Lorenzo as they make their way across the battlefield. “Come on Magnus, Circe, and Lorenzo are making their way to the farthest corners which means that we don’t have far to run.”

“Jace,” Alec calls as they begin to walk away from him. “You look after him, you hear me? I expect my husband to come back in one piece.” Jace sends him a salute and begins forward again. “And Magnus?”

“Make sure your parabatai doesn’t get launched into the rift before we close it, I got it.” Magnus jests.  
  
“Actually I was going to say I love you, but that also works.” Alec snarks back.  
  
“Love you too, darling,” Magnus softly speaks, leaning in for one more kiss before he trails behind Jace. Alec watches two of the most important people in his life walk toward the rift. He takes a deep breath to calm his nerves before his mind is set for battle and aims his bow at the sky. Five arrows already knocked he releases his hold and watches as the demons diving for some preoccupied shadowhunters bursts into bits of ichor that splatter on the ground.  
  
From then on he takes his mind off the fact that he put his family in the most dangerous positions and begins to take out demons left and right. As he takes out the 10th demon, a wave of magic disperses across the beach. He looks towards the rift and sees that the warlocks have begun to close the rift. Jace, Izzy and Clary with their backs to them as they stop any attempt by the demons to stop them.

Alec refocuses his effort to take out the demons in the sky to lessen the work of everyone fighting demons on the ground. He will be forever thankful for the enchanted quiver Magnus gifted him for his birthday. Magnus understands that Alec can’t sit behind a desk all day like other institute heads and has to go where his siblings are to protect them from a distance like he always does. His husband just made sure that he never will run out of arrows in the heat of battle. 

Another wave of magic disperses as the warlocks are slowly but surely closing the rift step by step, getting closer to one another. They’re almost halfway done when a loud roar breeches the rift and a large mass escapes from its depths and into the sky. 

What has to be the biggest of its kind, a dragon with a wingspan of 40 feet sweeps across the sky in a loud roar. The cries of its children being killed must have reached to where it resided in hell and has now come seeking revenge on those who have murdered them. Alec knowing that the warlocks cannot stop closing the rift until it is sealed, is about to send out a message to the other shadowhunters to distract the dragon to give the warlocks time.  
  
It seems that luck is not on his side as the dragon zeros in on his position and makes a dive for him. Thankfully he activated all the runes he could and dodges out of the way before the dragon’s claws could reach him.  
  
“Alec!” he hears someone yell out his name. He looks over and sees Jace give him a look that says he’s about to run to his side.  
  
“Stay with Magnus, Jace!” he shouts back. He’s back up his feet, arrows already knocked back in his bow, aimed at the dragon. “I got this.”

He releases and the arrows hit their mark. The dragon lets out a deafening screech as the arrows pierce its side. It’s not enough to take the monster down, but it did stagger its aim and the fire aimed at nearby shadowhunters goes wide and hits the nearby trees setting them alight.

That’s going to be a bitch to have to explain to the Clave. Luckily this entire beach is glamoured by the configuration so mundanes are unable to see the chaos that is taking place. He’s sure if he talks to Meliorn, he’ll know of a few Seelies who would be more than willing to help clean up and heal the area of burn damages.

Another roar shakes him from his thoughts as he watches the dragon soar around the zone. The enclosed off area is a bit too small for the dragon to maneuver smoothly which gives Alec an advantage as he starts firing arrow after arrow at the winged beast as it tries to turn around. If it wasn’t a life or death situation, Alec would have time to appreciate the beauty that it is the colossal monster in the sky. It’s been a few centuries since a dragon of its size has decided to grace the earth with its presence. Not that it should matter to Alec as the dragon in question is trying to burn him to a crisp.

He doesn’t slow down his release of arrows, trying to aim for the joints in its wings, but even with the limited space inside the zone, the dragon is able to dodge a decent amount of the arrows aimed at his wings. In another sweep, the dragon dives for Alec again, only this time Alec aims for one of its eyes. Just like before his mark is sure and the dragon topples out of the sky and crashes behind him. The dragon gets to its feet shaking its head trying to get rid of the arrow lodged in its eye before it locks in on him. From the look in its noninjured eye, he can tell that the creature is beyond angry at him. 

Just as the dragon steps forward, a giant wave of magic flies out across the beach. Alec glances over to see that Lorenzo, Circe, and Magnus were able to close the rift and are now focusing on the few demons that remain. Just as a bit of relief sags from his shoulders a screech louder than the ones before, echoes across the shore. He turns back to where the dragon was to find that it is now charging right at him.

 _Shit_ , he thinks. He was momentarily distracted by the rift closing that he didn’t notice the dragon beginning to charge at him.

“ALEC!” he hears Jace scream and he hears the sound of footsteps beginning to rush towards him but they won’t be fast enough. The dragon is right on him now, opening its jaw as the bright flames gather in its mouth. 

It's then that he feels the familiar rush of magic behind him and a hand grabs his shirt, pulling him back through the portal. He lands next to Jace on his back, the wind being knocked out of him. Someone is screaming behind him as he struggles to stand. He looks to where he was before and sees Magnus looking at him with pain in his eyes. Alec quickly realizes what’s about to happen and begins to run to his husband as he sees the dragon shoot flames out of its mouth. 

“NO MAGNUS!” Alec screams at the top of his lungs as he watches Magnus put up his arms to defend himself before getting consumed by the dragon’s flames. His steps falter as he watches the area where his husband was standing go up in flames. He doesn’t stop running, his mind only on his husband who is no longer in his sight. 

It’s not until he’s 20 feet away that he is tackled to the side by Jace, stopping his movement forward. He attempts to get back on his feet to get to Magnus, but Jace’s arms are secure around his waist. He clutches at the hands attempting to unleash their hold. He doesn’t even care that he’s hurting his parabatai he just needs to get to Magnus.  
  
“Alec, Alec!” Jace says in his ear, but he barely is registering what he’s saying. “You need to stop, it’s too late.”  
  
“No, no it’s not I can get to him,” Alec struggles weakly through tears. “I can still get to him. I can get him out.”

Jace’s hold does not waver, if anything it gets tighter. Around them, shadowhunters are focusing their collective efforts on killing the dragon, leading it away from the duo on the ground. A sob escapes past his throat as he stares at the tall flames, knowing what they’ll find when they die down.  
  
“Please Jace,” he weakly protests, his struggle to get out of the hold is weakening. “Please let me go, I need- I need to get to him.”

“I’m so sorry Alec,” Jace whispers in his ears, unable to hold back his own tears. The emotions surging through the parabatai bond are too much for even him to hold off. “He’s gone.”  
  
“No, he can’t-,” he sobs. “He can’t be.” 

He can’t take his eyes off the flames. Knowing that Magnus’ body is in there burnt to an unrecognizable form. His mind won’t stop racing and his breaths are getting shorter, but he doesn’t care. He just lost the most important person in his life and it was all his fault. Magnus would still be alive if he hadn’t taken his eyes off the dragon. 

“Alec,” Jace pleads, adjusting his position to be in front of Alec. “Alec you need to breathe.”

 _I can’t,_ he wants to say but he’s not even looking at his brother in front of him. His eyes are glued to the flames that are slowly being snuffed out by the wind. Jace is looking at his brother through his own few tears, gathers him in his arms and holds on.  
  
“Alec, I’m so sorry,” Jace repeats quietly in his ear as he rocks them back and forth softly on the ground. 

A quick glance around them they see that the others, were able to kill off the rest of the demons and eventually the dragon. Its corpse lays at the other side of the beach as far away from them as it could be. Jace will forever be grateful for everyone’s effort to get it away from them, but now everyone’s attention was on the two. Though no one dared to step closer allowing Alec the peace to grieve his husband’s sacrifice to save him. He can see Clary and Izzy embracing each other with tears in their eyes. 

At the small quick gasps from the body in front of him, he refocuses on Alec and tries to calm him down. He rubs a hand across Alec’s back in an attempt to get him to calm down. The other gripping the back of Alec’s head nudging his brother’s head into his shoulder so that he can take Alec’s eyes of the flames and have him focus on controlling his breathing. It seems like hours have passed when its only mere minutes, that the heat on his back from the flames cools down. He only feels the cold wind from the waters and his brother’s ragged breaths in front of him, he almost misses the collective gasps of those around them. 

At the sudden noise, Alec looks up from where his head was hidden in his parabatai’s shoulder. His whole body freezes at the sight in front of him. Jace seems to sense the change and pulls back from the embrace and turns to see what caused the commotion. There in the middle of where the flames roared is Magnus’ body, unburnt. Jace doesn’t even stand a chance before Alec is already up and running towards his husband.

Alec drops to his knees next to his husband’s prone body, ignoring the heat that seeps through his pants at the still hot ground and gathers Magnus in his arms. Not believing the sight in front of him he raises a shaky hand to Magnus neck and a sob breaks past his lips.

_A pulse_

The steady pulse of his husband is alive under his hand. The feeling of relief that flows through his body, he crushes Magnus against his chest and cries out. He knows that he’s making a fool of himself in front of everyone but he doesn’t care. He rubs his cheek against his husband’s slightly singed hair as tears he didn’t know he had left fall down his cheeks. He breathes in the sandalwood scented hair as he continues to hold his unconscious husband in his arms. 

Lost in the feeling of his very alive husband, he jumps at the hand on his shoulder and sees Jace made his way over to him. The smile of relief on his parabatai’s face is just another validation that what’s happening is real and that he hasn’t gone insane.  
  
“He’s alive,” he croaks out with a burst of laughter. “He’s alive, Jace.”

“That he is brother,” Jace laughs back. He kneels next to him and wraps an arm around his shoulder in a comforting squeeze. It’s just the right amount of comfort that he needs to finally calm down. He doesn’t realize how tense he had been until he relaxes into Jace’s side. He closes his eyes as the exhaustion of the event finally catches up to him. 

He reopens them at the sound of more footsteps approaching. Circe has kneeled across from him. A smile on her face as well as she takes in Magnus’ unconscious form in front of her. She looks at him with her piercing purple eyes in question as he nods back at her. She looks back to Magnus and with a flick of her wrist, purple flames surround them as she brings them to Magnus’ body. 

As she works on looking over Magnus’ body, Alec senses Clary and Izzy step closer. His sister kneels on his other side, wrapping an arm on top on the one Jace has on his shoulder. Clary sits next to Jace leaning her head on his shoulder as they all wait for Circe to do her medical examination of Magnus.

“Underhill had Lorenzo portal the other shadowhunters back to the institute for medical treatment and to write up their reports,” Izzy breaks the silence. “As soon as Circe gives us the okay to move Magnus, you two are going to go to the loft and rest.”

His hold on Magnus tightens a bit. “Izzy I can’t do that,” he coughs a bit to clear his throat, “I have reports to file and make sure my teams are-”  
  
“We got it covered, Alec,” Izzy gives Alec a look that says not to argue with her on it. “You look like you are ready to pass out. I think everyone understands that you won’t be able to work today or tomorrow after today’s events. Jace and I will be more than happy to cover for you.”

“Hey speak for yourself- Ow!” Jace pulls his arm away from Alec’s shoulder as Izzy hits him on the arm. 

“I think what Jace means to say,” Clary slightly glares at Jace who gives a look of ‘what did I do’, “is that after what happened, it’s best that you sleep it off and let your siblings handle the institute for a few days.”

Before Alec was able to reply, Circe stops her inspection of Magnus. She looks up at Alec with a kind look, “He’s going to be okay.” Any tension that was still in his body was cut like the strings of a puppet and his body sags, his grip on Magnus loosening. Though he would not be surprised if there are bruises on his husband’s arm where he was gripping him so tightly. Circe notices the change and gives his hand a soft squeeze of comfort.

“His hair is slightly signed,” she chuckles,” but other than that, I cannot find a single injury on him. Whatever he did to stop the flames must have been a powerful spell. Stopping a dragon’s fire is not an easy task to do.”

“Thank you Circe,” Alec turns his hand over returning the squeeze, “You were a great help today and not just for this.”

“Yes well, it would be wrong of me to not to return the favor,” she smiles before standing up, brushing the chard grass off her pants. She gestures down to Magnus, “Would you like help bringing him to the loft? You look like you’re barely able to stand.”

“No I got him,” he says as he adjusts his grip on Magnus’ body before slowly rising to his feet with the help of Jace and Izzy. He tilts Magnus’ head on his shoulder making sure his husband is comfortable before looking at Circe. She gives him a knowing look before waving her hand to open a portal to the loft.

Alec is about to step through when he turns around to his siblings and Clary.

“Thank you, all of you,” he says making sure to look at them all. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if he-” He presses his lips into a thin line. Jace, Izzy and Clary send him reassuring smiles, not using words to say that he doesn’t have to finish that sentence. 

“Just, thank you.”

“Anytime parabatai,” Jace walks over to give him one last side hug and whispers in his ear, “Thy people shall be my people. Remember?”

“Yeah,” he smiles back. With that said and one more goodbye all around, Alec steps through the portal into their home.

Alec doesn’t pause his footsteps as he makes his way over to their bedroom and lays Magnus down on top of the comforter. He sits down next to Magnus and just stares, still not believing that his husband is alive. With a shaking breath he gently grabs Magnus’ hand and brings it to his lips. Kissing each knuckle before resting the backside against his cheek.

“I’m so mad at you,” he starts. “I’m mad, I’m scared, I’m so many things right now that I don’t even know where to begin.”

Magnus doesn’t move a muscle, clearly in a deep sleep after exhausting his magic the way he did. Alec wouldn’t be surprised if he slept the entire rest of the day and night away.

“You know it’s always funny, how we both thought I would be the first one to go,” his laugh is wet as he remembers the many times they discussed it. “You always joked that my job was going to be the death of me and that you would find my body hunched over a pile of papers, lifeless.

“It was never out on the field when you mentioned it, but I understand why you never did. Saying the words made it more likely to happen even though I never believed that. If that were the case, I would continuously tell you how all the sweets you eat are going to ruin your health,” he laughs at that particular memory, “Though I learned my lesson the first time after you ate an entire container of cookies without getting sick. I guess that’s one of the many perks of being a warlock.”

He realizes that he’s speaking to an unconscious body, but the stillness of his husband’s body reminds him too much of when he was dying to Lorenzo’s magical transfusion. If he keeps talking, it won’t let his mind wander to darker places. He lowers their entwined hands to his lap and begins to play with the wedding ring on Magnus’ left hand. 

“I know I’ve said it many times over the past few years we’ve been together, but I still can’t say it enough. I can’t live without you,” he huffs out with a sob. “I think today definitely solidifies that statement because I lived without you for a few minutes and it was the worst few minutes of my life. If Jace hadn’t stopped me I would have gladly run into those flames to get to you without a second thought. I just knew I had to get to you, damned my own life.”

Alec leans forward, resting his forehead against Magnus’ and closes his eyes. He rests there for a moment, feeling his husband’s breath against his face using it as an anchor. Opening his eyes he stares at his sleeping husband’s face. Cataloging all of his favorite features as if this was his first time seeing them.

“You are my world, Magnus Bane,” he reaches up with the hand not linked to cup his face, “there is not a single universe out there that I am not in love with you. So please, don’t ever leave me and I will stay by your side forever.” He gives a soft kiss on Magnus’ lips.

“Is that a promise,” words spoken so quietly that he would have missed it if it were not for their lips touching. Alec jerks back, eyes searching Magnus’ face for any sign of movement.

“Magnus?” he whispers in shock while watching Magnus slowly stir. It takes him a few seconds but suddenly he is looking at two beautiful golden cat eyes. Eyes that he thought he would never see again.  
  
“Hey handsome,” Magnus sighs out as he takes him in. “I thought I lost you.”

“That’s supposed to be my line,” he laughs wetly as more tears gather in his eyes. It seems that his body is filled to the brim with water with how much he has cried this evening. Magnus furrows his brows at the sight of Alec’s tears and weakly raises his hand to wipe at his face.

“Are you okay?” Magnus asks, clearly not fully awake to remember today’s events. Alec releases the hand he had on Magnus’ face and puts it on top of the one on his.

“I’m better, now that you’re awake,” he sighs closing his eyes and relishing in the feel of his husband’s hand on his face. “You gave me- well everyone- quite the scare back there.”

“Sorry to have frightened you,” his husband states sincerely. It’s clear his mind is beginning to clear up as his eyes begin to widen as he begins to remember what happened. 

“Oh Lilith,” Magnus begins to try and push himself up into a sitting position. Alec has to slow him down and help him rest his back against the backboard of their bed.

“Easy,” Alec soothes. “Everyone made it out alive, with only a few major injuries but all is taken care of.”

“What about you,” Magnus’ eyes rove over his body as he searches for any possible hidden injury. “Last thing I remember was that dragon coming towards you and I- I couldn’t think.”

“Well in your own self sacrificing ways,” he starts giving his husband a look. “You decided that the best course of action was to throw me through a portal out of the way of the flames, but not yourself.”

Magnus huffs out a pout, unlinking their hands to cross his arms. “Well forgive me for not thinking straight while about to witness my husband about to die by hellfire.”

Alec sighs grabbing at Magnus’ arms to uncross them and link their hands together. He rubs at the knuckles until he feels some of the tension release from his husband’s body. This is not how he wanted this conversation to go.

“I didn’t mean to make you defensive,” he yields, squeezing their linked hands. “You have to remember that I had to watch you get consumed by the fire instead.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry Alexander.” Magnus sighs out. “I guess either way we both almost lived our worst nightmares today.”

Alec nods his head unable to talk more and continues to take in that Magnus is here, awake sitting in front of him. He must not be as subtle about it as he thought as Magnus beings to pull at his arms. 

“Come here.” Magnus pulls at his arms again as Alec takes too long to get the idea and maneuvers his body to lay across his. Alec huffs out a laugh as he lays his head over his husband’s heart. He lets its steady beat relax his body as he feels arms wrap around him. 

“I’m sorry for scaring you darling,” Magnus mumbles into his hair. “I just saw you about to die and could only think about getting you out of there. It didn’t occur to me to do the same.”

Alec nods his head against his chest as he accepts the apology. He reaches for Magnus’ hand and begins to fiddle with the wedding ring that rests there. The silence that follows is not awkward, it’s just right as they both take in the day’s events and all that’s happened. 

It’s strange, Alec thinks, how in the movies when someone almost dies the love interest yells at their partner about how reckless they were. How could they consider their life not important and willing to throw it away for no reason. The last thing he wants to do is yell at Magnus. There’s not an angry bone in his body, he’s just filled with relief that he still has Magnus here with him. A few more minutes pass in silence before Alec speaks up again.

“So how did you do it?”  
  
“Hmm?”

“How were you able to survive the dragon’s fire?” he clarifies. “From what Circe told me, you’d have to have a very powerful spell to only have your hair be a casualty.”

“My hair?!” Magnus reaches up to pat his head and sighs in relief that it's all still there, though he can feel a few signed hairs here and there. Nothing a simple hair repair potion won’t fix. 

“Not the point Magnus,” Alec huffs as he pokes at his husband’s stomach to bring him back on track. Magnus stops examining his hair and tries to remember what happened.

“I don’t know, last this I remember was putting my arms up in a very lame attempt of protecting myself and then nothing,” he ponders. “Next thing I knew I was waking up to a very sexy shadowhunter weeping over my body.”

“I was not weeping,” Alec scoffs at the thought, rolling his eyes. “I was crying over the thought that I’d never see your beautiful eyes again and I’d had to draw them on your eyelids.” Magnus pinches his side at the jab getting a small laugh out of him.

“Circe said that you had no injuries. Could your magic have protected you without you knowing?”

“Not like this no,” Magus answers. “If it were in the loft? Maybe? Here my magic is stronger and would be able to do something like that because my magic lives and surrounds everything in the loft. Out in the middle of some beach? Unlikely.”

“Maybe you had an angel watching over you,” Alec suggests but is immediately turned down by Magnus.

“I doubt the angels would spend their precious _pure angelic_ powers to save a Downworlder,” he scoffs at the idea.

“I would,” Alec bluntly states. “If I were an angel, I would gladly get in trouble to save someone as beautiful as you from being burnt to a crisp.”

“Only you would say something like that.” He hears Magnus huff above him, a clear sign that he’s flustered the warlock. The arm around him gives a light smack to his back in retaliation. 

“Well it's true,” he turns his head to get a better look at Magnus. “You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen. It would be a shame for that kind of beauty to leave this world too soon.”

“Stop, you ridiculous nephilim.” Magnus laughs as Alec bats his lashes at him dramatically. “And people say I’m the romantic one in the relationship.”

“Actually Izzy says that you're a sugar daddy.” Alec furrows his eyebrows in question while Magnus sputters above him at the comment. “Though I’m not sure exactly what that means.” 

“It’s nothing you need to worry about darling,” Magnus says trying to shift the conversation, a deep blush can be seen on his cheeks. “It’s just a joke that fell flat on your ears.”

Alec obviously doesn’t buy it for a second, but decides to save the questioning for a later date. He nods and lays his head back down on Magnus’ chest, returning to listen to the heartbeat. The comfortable silence returns to the room as they cuddle close. Alec is just about to fall asleep when he feels Magnus stir above him.

“I know this may be horrible timing, but before we pass out I think it would be best if we got out of our dirty clothes.” Magnus murmurs above him. Alec had almost forgotten that they’re still in their outfits from today’s events. It seems that he was so relieved that Magnus was in one piece, he didn’t think to change them into more comfortable clothes.

“Yeah,” he agrees, starting to rise from where he laid. “But no magic.”

“I don’t think I have anything in me at the moment even if I wanted to,” Magnus huffs, as he slowly pushes himself to the side of the bed and swings his legs to the ground. “Though I may need your help changing. I don’t think I can stand without falling flat on my face.”

“Okay, let me grab some pajamas for you. You work on getting what you can off.” Alec starts to walk to their dresser looking for something soft for his husband to change into. Behind him, he hears clothes shuffling as Magnus works to get his pants and shirt off. Grabbing Magnus’ favorite silk pajamas he turns around to ask if these will work when he spots his husband frozen on their bed. He is staring at something in his hands with wide sad eyes.

“Oh,” Magnus speaks softly, not taking his eyes off the object. 

“Magnus?” Alec walks over to him, sitting down beside him on the bed. “What is i- oh.”

Shredded and torn up in his husband’s hands is the omamori charm he gifted him all those years ago on one of their first dates to Tokyo. The tiny charm that was once a vibrant red with delicate lines and patterns around the rectangular piece now is faded. Threads poke out from every end as it looks like the charm exploded from the inside out. The frayed edges have taken on a dark, charcoal look as if the corners had been burned by fire.

It has been so long since Alec had thought about the charm. He didn’t even think that Magnus still had it on him after all these years. To know that his husband still carried it to this day warms his heart. 

“I’m so sorry Alexander I don’t know what happened to it,” Magnus says crestfallen. “I even put a small preservation spell on the charm so that it will never fade or become worn out. I don’t know how this happened.”

“I think I do,” Alec says he reaches for the charm. Lifting it up and looking at the charm, he can’t help but smile as he remembers what the lady at the stall had told him it meant. It wasn’t even a question that he had to get it for Magnus right then and there as the meaning of the charm meant so much to him. 

They were never truly safe back when Valentine was still alive, especially Magnus being the High Warlock. Alec remembered being afraid of something happening to his then boyfriend now husband because of his position of power. Of course he never would have voiced these concerns to Magnus who he knows can easily take care of himself. It didn’t stop the nagging fear that someone could hurt him and he wouldn’t be there to protect him.

He also remembers the look on his husband’s face when he handed him the small bag it came in. It was the look of a person who was never put first. A look that said that a person rarely ever got gifts from their loved ones. He didn’t show it but it had broken his heart at the time watching Magnus stare at the omamori charm like it was the most precious thing in the world. It brings him solace now, knowing that the charm is the reason he still has the love of his life sitting next to him alive.

“It is after-all,” directing a smile at his husband waving the broken charm in the air, “supposed to bring you luck and protection. I think it’s safe to say that it did a pretty good job of that.”

Magnus stares at the charm in bewilderment, mouth opening and closing trying to come up with something to say. Alec gives the charm back to Magnus and watches his husband look at the charm with such fondness.

“I’ll never forget the night you gave this to me,” he says wistfully, rubbing the charm with his thumb. A sad smile appears on his face as he continues, “I couldn’t remember the last time a lover of mine had given me a gift.

“To think that a shadowhunter who I had just started dating would sweep me off my feet so early in our relationship,” Magnus sends a small smirk towards Alec. “I don’t think I’ll ever be over your bluntness when it comes to expressing your emotions. You always have such wonderful small gestures to remind me how loved I am by you. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay all that you have done for me.”

“You don’t have to,” Alec replies almost immediately. He closes his hand over Magnus’, sealing the charm between their palms. “You love me the same way and that is more than enough. I would be happy with anything you give me as long as I can stay by your side forever.” He raises their entwined hands and kisses the back of his husband’s hand. 

“Though it looks like we’ll need to take another trip back to Tokyo,” he laughs out. “Hopefully that old lady still has that stall and I can get you a new one. Now that I know that it really works.”

“As long as I can get one for you as well,” Magnus laughs before he leans forward to give him a soft kiss on the lips. Pulling back and resting their foreheads together, Magnus continues, “but I want you to know that you’re all the luck and protection that I need.”

Rolling his eyes at the cheesiness of the line, Alec pulls away from his husband. He makes his way back to the dresser to grab the silk pajamas he had gotten out and hands them to Magnus. Pulling off his own shirt and shimmying out of his pants, Alec joins Magnus on the bed and pulls his husband in close the moment he settles. He nestles his head into his husband’s neck and wraps an arm around his waist.

“I love you, Magnus Lightwood-Bane,” Alec murmurs as he drifts off into a peaceful sleep.

“And I you, Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane.” 

**Author's Note:**

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